About Digital ICE

Digital ICE was created right here in Austin by Applied Science Fiction company, which was later acquired by Kodak and is now called the Kodak Austin Development Center. The technique relies on scanning two images of the slide – one using regular visible light and another using infrared light. Dust and scratches are easily identified and located using the infrared image and then digitally removed from the regular optical image. Unlike software solutions that hide dust and scratches by blurring the image, Digital ICE removes the defects while leaving other detail intact. However, it requires an advanced scanner with special infrared scanning hardware and Digital ICE compatibility. Slides scanned without Digital ICE inevitably have lint, dust and scratches that show up as dark, black imperfections all over your priceless images.

Two additional features have been more recently added to the Digital ICE suite:

• Digital ROC (Restoration of Color) brings faded color of old films or slides back to life. Enjoy vibrant, faithfully rendered images.
   
• Digital GEM (Grain Equalization & Management) reduces the effects of film grain. The resulting images are sharp, clear and devoid of grain clumping or graininess.

Access Video uses ROC regularly, but GEM is used only if needed or requested.